


Dreamers at Sea

by the_dormouse



Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Modern AU, feysand
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-24
Updated: 2020-11-08
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:01:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,955
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27113677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_dormouse/pseuds/the_dormouse
Summary: In which Feyre is a singer, determined to life to the fullest. And she meets someone with the exact same thing in mind.
Relationships: Feyre Archeron/Rhysand
Comments: 2
Kudos: 20





	1. The Stage

**Author's Note:**

> The lyrics are from "Dreamers" by K.Flay  
> Song link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4HUIPD1LcE

The audience was a sea of empty chairs, cloaked in darkness. A single light was shining down on the center of stage where she sat, perched on a stool.

  
She’d gotten there as early as she could. Thankfully she had an extra key, because no one was there yet besides her. The mic wasn’t even set up. But she was singing for herself, so what did it matter? Her soft voice flooded the room.

> Nobody showed you how to live?  
> Me either

Her eyes were closed as she swayed back and forth, her golden brown hair moving with her.

> But I've been on a ten-speed thinking about the time as the sun sets  
> Like, what would I do different if I hit rewind and did it again?

Would she have stayed in school instead of dropping out to earn money for her family? For her sisters? Would she have turned away from the man with green eyes?

> I tried to figure it out but nothing was coming to mind  
> Remembered all my mistakes  
> But the memories made me smile  
> I told the one that I loved that love would mean letting me go  
> Even though I was afraid  
> You gotta do some things on your own

Feyre Archeron has made her fair share of mistakes. But they’ve all led her here. To her music and this empty room, that will be filled in only a few hours. There was nothing holding her back.

> This one goes out to all the dreamers at sea  
> This life is only what you want it to be  
> And I want more, I want more

Her dreams have somehow come true. Here she is on a stage after all.

> You go to heaven when you die  
> I'm betting  
> You're still with me on the line?  
> Just checking  
> Cause I've been making fast friends, late at night the kind when the sun sets  
> Like, waking up and thinking honey, why I do it again?

Late nights had become a routine. Staying up into the morning hours. Running through lyrics and playing around with music. Sometimes watching the sunrise and wishing she had the words or paint to immortalize the images of the rising sun as it spills its golden red light over the Earth.

> I came to in a cold sweat with a nosebleed feeling hopeless  
> Thought I maybe might be dead til I got my pen sat down and wrote this  
> Suddenly I felt fine inside a mind so full of ghosts  
> The darkest nights mean you see the stars the most

So many nights spent staring out her window, at a starry sky. It was the night sky that she had painted on her drawer with the paints Elaine had once bought her. It was the night sky that she wished on, even when all hope seemed lost. Even when she had more nightmares than dreams.

> This one goes out to all the dreamers at sea  
> This life is only what you want it to be  
> And I want more, I want more

She opened her eyes, revealing orbs of blueish gray, the color of the evening sky. Her lips tilted up in a half smile.

> I used to knock on wood  
> I used to never curse  
> I used to think I could  
> Control the universe

In the distance, doors opened, chattering voices flooding in. The lights turned on.

> I used to feel alone  
> I used to not belong  
> But little did I know I had the power all along  
> The only thing to fear  
> Is never being scared

So long spent existing, but not living. No longer.

> I want more


	2. Game Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not really good at character perspectives, so I don't know how this'll be. Here goes nothing.

He was late. Mor was going to kill him, Rhys though, waiting in traffic.

The line of cars didn’t move an inch. He sighed and placed his head briefly against the wheel. It had been a long day. Not made any better by the never ending traffic. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a red car. Red as blood, red as her hair- Rhys shook of the thought and focused on the car ahead of him. The next song came on from his playlist.

> Nobody showed you how to live?
> 
> Me either

Rhys turned it up a bit.

How could he not? The line crawled forward another inch and the world went blurry at the corners as the words kept coming.

> But I've been on a ten-speed thinking about the time as the sun sets
> 
> Like, what would I do different if I hit rewind and did it again?

Would he have stayed away from Amarantha, her red as blood hair, her long red claws, waiting to latch onto his soul and never let go? Maybe, maybe not. Anything to protect his family, after all.

He thought about Mor instead. Who had been the first person he had gone to after it was all over. Bright, bold, loyal Mor. Everything Amarantha had not been. He thought about the rest of his family.

> This one goes out to all the dreamers at sea
> 
> This life is only what you want it to be
> 
> And I want more, I want more

Yes, it had all been worth it. In the end, his life was his own. Nothing holding him back.

And now, he thought about the night ahead of him. He could see it now, going down just like every other game night in their history. Azriel quietly winning all the games, Cassian and Mor fighting, and Amren rolling her eyes at it all over a glass of wine. 

> The darkest nights mean you see the stars the most

Rhysand remembers the first time he heard the artist’s music. Darkest nights indeed. When there had been no hope left, it was the music that made him feel something. That made him remember who he was and what was still out there for him. Rhys tapped his fingers on the wheel as the line of cars started to finally move.

> This one goes out to all the dreamers at sea
> 
> This life is only what you want it to be
> 
> And I want more, I want more

The traffic eased off and soon Rhysand was off the highway, driving down a quieter road. He reached Mor’s apartment building and went up to the third floor. Rhys knocked, running his other hand through his hair, and grinned as the door opened.

Mor gave him a glare. “You’re late,” she told him. “Everyone else is here, even Cassian.” At that, Cassian shouted something unintelligible in the background.

Rhys just kept smiling in and waltzed right in. Dreamers, that’s what they all were. He took a seat besides Azriel who raised an eyebrow in question. Everyone looked to him, and Amren handed him a wine glass.

“What’s up with you?” Cass asked.

“Nothing,” Rhys shrugged. “To the stars who listen,” he held up his glass, “and the dreams that are answered.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, there was an acotar quote at the end. It just fits. That's why I thought of this song for the Inner Circle anyway. 
> 
> Also, K. Flay is pretty awesome.


	3. The Meeting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't really like this, but I might as well finish it.

He strolled along, hands in his pockets, as the sky darkened to a wispy gray. The streets were relatively quiet, as the weather had gotten colder and the days shorter. He himself paid little attention to the cold.

  
Rhys had headphones in, music playing in his ears. He turned it up a bit, trying to drown out the howling wind around him. As he turned a corner, he found himself crashing into someone.

  
He tripped over his feet, and the other figure went tumbling for the sidewalk, before he grabbed their arm. Her arm. He found himself looking into startled gray eyes, the same color as the sky above them.

  
The woman righted herself, her scarf falling down and revealing more of her freckled face. She seemed familiar.

  
Rhys wanted to ask if she was okay, but she spoke first. “Thanks,” she said, smiling. He knew that voice.

  
The woman adjusted a strap over her shoulder, and Rhys noticed the guitar for the first time.

  
“It's..not a problem,” he answered. Then he added, “it’s not every day I get to crash into someone as lovely as you.”

  
She laughed, and waved him off. “I’m going to be late, I should go. Thanks again, stranger.”

  
“Wait-” Rhys said, but she had already vanished. He shook his head. Mor would have called him a shameless flirt for that move and he hoped he hadn't scared her away. He wished he had gotten her name. She seemed so familiar to him though.

  
Rhys stood alone on the sidewalk for a few more heartbeats, wondering. Then he shrugged, put his music back in, and left.

* * *

Feyre wondered why she couldn’t stop thinking about those eyes. Those eyes, so blue they were practically violet. She strummed the guitar quietly, lost in thought.  
She should head home, her recording session was over.

  
So she packed up her stuff and hurried home, taking that same path as the day when she bumped into the stranger with the violet eyes. But he wasn’t there.

* * *

It was a few weeks later when he saw her again. At a bakery a few blocks from his home.

  
She was standing in line, the warm lights shining down on her. In the lighting of the bakery, her hair was more golden than he had noticed. A golden brown, the color of burnt caramel.

  
He stood in line behind her, hesitated, then said, “hello stranger.”

  
She turned, her eyes widening as she saw him. Her eyes, which had much more blue in them than he had originally thought. “Hello to you too,” she answered. “Although are we really strangers if we’ve met before?”

  
“Well I still don’t know your name, darling.”

  
“I’m Feyre,” she held out a hand to shake.

  
“Rhysand,” he answered, giving her a grin. “Do you know what you’re getting?”

  
They went on to spend the rest of their time in line talking about the food there. Once they were about to part, he called after her, “goodbye, Feyre darling. Until we meet again,” and ignored the small eye roll she gave him.


	4. A Question

She knew they lived in the same general area. But really, the amount of times they ran into each other was strange. The grocery store, in the park, just walking on the street. If it was anyone else, she might have been concerned. But Rhys was kind and caring, despite his habit of getting on her nerves.

They had eventually traded numbers, and now ran into each other more purposefully. Meeting for coffee or a walk.

She was waiting backstage, while the stage was being set up. At some point, she was told to go on and she cast away her thoughts of Rhys and focused on the music.

She ran through her set, perched on her stool atop the stage, in front of the small crowd. After the performance, after everyone had filtered out, she started to pack up her guitar. As she looked up, her eyes met a pair of violet ones, all the way at the back of the room. 

He walked up to her. “I..knew you sang, but I didn’t know. I’ve listened to your music since before I met you.”

Feyre found herself at a loss for words. “Well, do you like it?” she finally said.

“Love it.”

Feyre found herself blushing. She ducked her head and finished packing up. “Were we supposed to meet today?”

Rhys shook his head. “I was actually wondering if you..would want..to have dinner with me?” 

Feyre almost laughed. He seemed so unsure, for someone who spent most of their interactions flirting with her. But instead, she nodded. 

Immediately, his eyes lit up, and this time she couldn’t hold in her laugh. “Where to, Rhys?”

“Now?”

“Yeah, go on. Wow me.”

“Challenge accepted.”


End file.
